Better Call Saul ***Spoilers***

I think he's a great sort of mirror to the lawyer side of the story; he's who Jimmy wishes he was, and it's who Kim would be without Jimmy. But I also think he could end up being more important this season. My initial thought on who was following Saul and Kim at the end of episode 2 was Lalo or someone connected to him, but thinking on it further, I think Howard might have hired someone to follow Saul as he knows Saul is behind everything that's been happening to him.

The cartel v Gus story is great, exciting, and features some of the best characters. But we also need to see what happens to Kim, and how Saul ends up where he is at the start of Breaking Bad. I think Howard might end up being integral to that.

He had a small role in Spider-Man Homecoming as Mac Gargan (Scorpion). Other than that I think he's best known for playing the baddie in Far Cry 3, where he got a lot of praise for his performance.

I Feel like I've stumbled I to someones PM's

That makes a lot of sense. Though giving up Nachos phone number led the cartel to the motel. I thought that was a bit puzzling as to why he would help them locate him. Though Im guessing it will probably become clear in E3 that it is a trap with Mike behind a sniper rifle at the motel.

You're right about Mike protecting Nachos father, he has this thing that he is in the game himself but he hates seeing people unnecessarily killed. He didnt want to follow Frings order to kill the German Werner and it cut him up having to do it. Thats probably whats on his mind with Nachos father, he doesnt want to see more collateral damage to the cartels activities.

Also the opening scene with the flash forward of Sauls opulent mansion with the gold toilet getting emptied out by a removal team is interesting. It suggests Saul gets mega rich in this series but somehow loses it all (and Kim) as when he entered the Breaking Bad timeline he was a broke hustler.

Finally the inflatable Statue of Liberty outside the Kettlemans tax shack in the desert seems to be the same inflatable Statue of Liberty later seen above Sauls office in Breaking Bad. I love the way that Gilligan is linking the two, I think now at some stage in this series the Kettlemans will owe Saul money, cant pay and the inflatable Statue of Liberty ends up as being a part payment to him. Theres a nice dark humour and symbolism of one criminal enterprise paying another criminal enterprise with an inflatable Statue of Liberty.

Anyway great to have it back.

Aye, As far as I can tell, the B&W 'Gene' scenes are post-BB, and I'd agree the house clearing at the start was also post BB

Fantastic start to this season IMHO, very strong back to back episodes, so much going on, think I might need a pen & paper for this season :D

It's probably a good job NF didn't release the lot, because I would have binged it right through and have nothing to look forward to [no other series grabs me atm]

It's worth remembering that Gus had someone watching Nacho at the motel the whole time. I think if the Salamancas tried to take Nacho alive, it's likely Gus' men could then follow them to where they take Nacho and take them all out. But Nacho took out Gus' man first before the Salamancas arrived.

As for Saul's house in the first scene, I'd say it might be that whatever causes him and Kim to split leaves him fairly broke (hence the small work he does at the start of Breaking Bad), but it's the money he earns from working with Walt that lets him buy the big house and gold sh*tter.

Like others I assumed the house clear out was post BB and thought it was lovely Saul held on to the bottle top all that time!

Absolutely loved the two opening episodes. Always feel like I've stepped into something so special after watching it.

Just finished epi2 - goddamn i just love this show (Vince/Peter production team), every moment is a joy to experience/appreciate the details in it. This show makes me feel...calm when watching it, just beautiful.

So yes a little bit of 'dumb plot' on the safe and a phone number directly to the motel, ah come on...but i find it funny and scary at the same when the twins knew Nacho has no way to go - the whole thing happened so fast and brutal.

Kim/Saul side is amusing as always - ah please i hope Kim doesnt die in this. It is incredibly sad that this is the final season, every minutes passed i was like oh god please no dont let this finish😂

(and eh aha i see a fellow of boardsie from ER thread - not even in the slightest surprise because i actually know a couple who are into BB/BCS and souls games aha :))

That scene is the one that's playing on my mind since I watched the two episodes. Saul almost seemed remorseful or resigned as you say and on watching it initially I thought he gave the money over to the couple in order to ease that guilt.

Saw on Reddit then that the inflatable statue of Liberty is the one over his office in BB so he didn't give the money but bought the Inflatable statue on the cheap from them linking into his "wolves and sheep" comment. This wouldn't tally then with being remorseful as he took advantage of them. Maybe it's part of the final transition from Jimmy over to Saul.

With regard to Kim, she's the one pushing the agenda about Howard so I think she'll do something and go too far leaving her in jail and losing her licence. (I hope she doesn't die).

Rewatched ALL of BCS before the new series started, as I needed a refresh.

I was disappointed with the opener. Unless I've completely misinterpreted Bob Odenkirks brilliant acting, I always thought the Jimmy and Saul were separate people. I think the way 'Saul' is standing shame-faced in the background when Kim reads the riot act to Betsy is another in a long line of mask slipping events for Saul/Jimmy. I always see the put-upon Jimmy behind the mask - I think I'm too invested!! The 'wolves and sheep' quote was great, referring all the way back to little Jimmy despairing at his Dad's gullibility when he was handing free money to any shyster who passed by.

So... the opening scene showing the tacky living arrangements for Saul (and I don't recall any reference to Saul's home life in BB) doesn't really fit. If that had actually been the back of the office, where 'Saul' spends some down time, I'd have found it more believable. Of course, all was forgiven when the bottle cap fell off the truck. A poignant reminder of simpler, although close to the knuckle, times.

I completely missed the 'teeth' thing. Should have seen it coming when Gus was getting a report from Tyrus which even mentioned confirmation by dental records. I don't know about the rest of you, but I REALLY want to see Nacho and his Dad on the bus to Manitoba. But sadly, he's just a pawn in Gus's game. The envelope in the safe says that, to me. But I still don't get why they outed Nacho to the Salamancas, well I understand the need to distance Nacho from Gus, but risking getting him caught and tortured seems a bit odd. This needs a re-watch. The great thing is, I can watch an episode twice in one week and still enjoy spotting stuff I'd missed first time round.

On a completely separate note. Yesterday I was watching one of those programmes in which the 'TRUE' story behind UFO's is revealed. Thought to myself "that narrator sounds remarkably like Gus Fring!" IT WAS. So Gus's very precise way of speaking has opened up some new avenues for Giancarlo Esposito.